Apple M1 Ultra vs Intel Core i7-12700KF

Processor comparisons   21-10-2022
   Perhaps you can't decide which processor to buy, you can make a decision after reading the comprehensive tests Apple M1 Ultra vs Intel Core i7-12700KF and understand which is better for games or simple use for streaming, programming, machine learning, video editing, rendering. Here is all information from real streaming and video editing tests or many benchmarks. A step-by-step analysis of all the specifications, so that it can be easier to understand, is made by the table.
   From the video comparison, you can get the results of parallel examination in special test applications like MATLAB, Blender, UserBenchmark, DaVinci Resolve Studio, Furmark, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, 7zip, Blender, VeraCrypt, PCMark 10, GeekBench 6, 5.2, 3DMark, WPrime, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), PassMark, Dolphin Emulator, AIDA64, RealBench, Prime95, SuperPi, Handbrake, Gears 5.
   Gaming performance of processors in:

Last Man Standing
Cyberpunk 2077
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare and Warzone
Halo Infinite
Valorant
Apex Legends
Valheim
Borderlands 3
DOOM: Eternal
Fallout 76
Assassin's Creed Valhalla
Grand Theft Auto V
Death Stranding
Red Dead Redemption 2
World of Warcraft: Shadowlands
Fortnite
Overwatch
Rainbow Six Siege
Watch Dogs Legion

After reading the results these benchmarks and videos, you can already make an briefed decision about which processor is better to buy for gaming Intel Core i7-12700KF or Apple M1 Ultra.

Summary benchmark results

As a percentage of the maximum value based on a sample from the entire base of all processors
Processor Benchmark

M1 Ultra

68%

Core i7-12700KF

63%

The number of this parameter shows the performance of the processors in single-threaded and multi-threaded mode. In this comparison, M1 Ultra is 7% better than Core i7-12700KF. The data source is several popular tests. Detailed information can be found below.

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

M1 Ultra

64%

Core i7-12700KF

59%

For the maximum in this test, the results of the most powerful processor in the site database are taken. And of course, this is a server processor, on which no one will run games. Because the cost of this processor reaches several tens of thousands of dollars. Therefore, if you think that the selected CPU has a low game result, just look at the FPS that it produces in real games in the summary table below.
List of other games in which CPU comparisons were performed: Battlefield V, Hitman 3, Horizon Zero Dawn, Metro Exodus, Ghostrunner, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS GO), NBA 2K20, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Control, Resident Evil 7 Biohazard, Monster Hunter World, League of Legends (LOL), Forza Horizon 4, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG), Microsoft Flight Simulator, DOTA 2A, Half-Life: Alyx.

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	113.1	105.1
Valorant	128.6	119.4
Cyberpunk 2077	72.0	66.9
Apex Legends	120.8	112.3
Call of Duty Warzone	96.4	89.6
Overwatch	104.1	96.7
Red Dead Redemption 2	88.7	82.4
DOOM Eternal	64.3	59.7
Warzone	100.3	93.1
Assassin's Creed	108.0	100.3
Valheim	106.7	99.1

The numbers in this table indicate the maximum FPS that was received on the device with the corresponding processor. Depending on the configuration of the computer (RAM size and Video Card) and graphics quality settings (Ultra, Medium, Normal), the results may differ quite significantly. We recommend that you better study the results of the Cinebench, GeekBench and Passmark becnmarks.
The computers participating in the comparisons not only were the equipped with different amounts of RAM and different video cards. But users also tested them at different screen resolutions: 2K, FullHD or 4K. So the game benchmark data is approximate. But all video cards met the average system requirements of games. You will get more accurate information about how powerful the processor will be in games, if you compare it in one assembly with the video card that is installed in your computer.

Power consumption

M1 Ultra

272%

Core i7-12700KF

57%

To make a final decision on which processor is better, you should also consider the generation of its core. It is clear that the newer the generation, the better the performance of the processor in games and benchmarks, as well as its energy efficiency. In this case the M1 Ultra is more energy efficient than the Core i7-12700KF since it has less power consumption: 20W vs. 125W. Power consumption is especially important for laptops. Also, when choosing a processor cooling system, it will be useful to know its TDP. You need to buy a cooler that has the TDP data specified in the specification was greater than the TDP of the compared processor.

Software benchmarks

If you plan to use the processor not only for gaming, but also for programming, machine learning, video editing or video rendering, streaming, then first of all you need to pay attention to the performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, the processor turns on all threads and cores that it has to the maximum to reach maximum performance. You will find out this data from the benchmark tables below. Before using the data from these tests, be sure to check whether the software you are going to use on your computer supports multi-threaded mode. Since there are still many programs that use only one core to run, and all the advantages of multi-core mode are unused.
Cinebench 23, 20 an 15
The results of this benchmark show Single-threaded and Multi-threaded CPU performance

	Apple M1 Ultra	Intel Core i7-12700KF
Cinbench 15 Single-core	555	563
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	3252	4104
Cinbench 20 Single-core	1103	1344
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	5583	9314
Cinbench 23 Single-core	4240	3147
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	21959	30705

Passmark
This popular benchmark displays Multi-threaded and Single-threaded processor performance

	Apple M1 Ultra	Intel Core i7-12700KF
Single-Core	9611	7367
Multi-Core	62194	42989

GeekBench 6, 5.2
This benchmark shows Multi-threaded and Single-threaded processor performance

	Apple M1 Ultra	Intel Core i7-12700KF
Single-Core	1637	2161
Multi-Core	24642	16755

Comparison of specifications

In the specification comparison table, the processor release date and overclocking capability will be the most helpful. The later the processor is released, the longer it will last you. And the easier it will be to upgrade the system in the future. The same benefits from the presence of overclocking. If the processor can be overclocked, increasing its performance, then it will continue to maintain maximum FPS in new games. Accordingly, you do not need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer. The economy are obvious!

	Apple M1 Ultra	Intel Core i7-12700KF
Announcement date	April 09, 2022	January 07, 2022
Type	Desktop	Desktop
Socket	M1	FCLGA1700
Core name	16x Firestorm and 4x Icestorm	Alder Lake
Architecture	hybrid (big.LITTLE)	x86
Generation	1	12
Turbo Frequency		5 MHz
Frequency	3.2 MHz	3.8 MHz
Cores	20	12
Threads	20	20
Bus rate		8 GT/s
Bit	64	64
Lithography	5 nm	7 nm
Transistors count	114000 millions	10200 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	20 W	125 W
Memory type	LPDDR5 - Up to 6400MHz	Up to DDR5 4800 MT/s Up to DDR4 3200 MT/s
Max. Memory	128 Gb	128 Gb
Memory Frequency	6400
Memory bandwidth	818 GByte/s	76.8 GB/s
L1 cache	4MB
L2 cache	48MB	12 MB
L3 cache	96MB	25 MB
Overclocking	No	No
Supports ECC	No	No
Part number	APL1W06

In this comparison block, you should pay attention to the differences in clock speed and the number of cores. Here Core i7-12700KF is 15% better than M1 Ultra in terms of CPU frequency. Another difference is that M1 Ultra has 8 more core than Core i7-12700KF. Also keep in mind that high CPU frequency affects battery life through power consumption (relevant for laptops).

Result:
The number of parameters for which Apple M1 Ultra is better: 25
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i7-12700KF is better: 10
Although it should be realized that the summary data that you have looked at here do not mean that taking them into account you should entirely trust a simple quantitative comparison. Better to watch the video tests and read the opinion of of people who bought Apple M1 Ultra and Intel Core i7-12700KF before making a selection which CPU to buy for gaming and which not.

Apple M1 Ultra - all data

• Cinebench r15 score
• Cinebench r20 score
• Cinebench r23 score
• GeekBench 6, 5.2 score

• Apple M1 Ultra specs and review.

Intel Core i7-12700KF - all data

• Cinebench r15 score
• Cinebench r20 score
• Cinebench r23 score
• GeekBench 6, 5.2 score

• Intel Core i7-12700KF specs and review.